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A disappointing earnings report last week prompted IBM CEO Virginia Rometty to post a 5-minute video speech on an internal website in the hope of rallying her 434,000 employees. Big Blue's workers must step up and take responsibility for handling client concerns quickly and adapting nimbly to technological trends, Rometty said. "And if anything slows you down, call it out," she urged. "Engage management, engage leadership, and let's deal with it."

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Judy Diamond Associates reports that 23,056 new 401(k) plans were launched in 2013, a 5% drop from the year before. By the end of the year, the plans held $4 billion in assets and 434,000 workers had new access to workplace-provided retirement investing.

Not everyone agrees that more high-tech visas, such as the H-1B, are needed to meet U.S.-based job needs. A Rutgers University professor believes it's more a matter of companies wanting to pay as little as possible when filling these positions, and he and others have issued a study that examines the effect of foreign workers on the labor market in the U.S. "It's Econ 101," said public policy professor Hal Salzman, a senior fellow at Rutgers' John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. "The story keeps coming back to wages. They go elsewhere where the pay is better."

IBM has introduced a field maintenance solution for engineers in critical industries such as oil and gas, aerospace and shipping that combines augmented reality and robotics into a mobile maintenance, repair and operations platform. The tool, which has been released as a prototype, uses GPS and QR codes to enable engineers to more quickly identify target assets, and it supports enhanced video collaboration between on-site engineers and those working in the field.

When Google Glass products become widely available next year, IHS IMS Research forecasts global shipments of smart glasses will jump from 50,000 units in 2012 and 124,000 in 2013 to 434,000 units in 2014. The market research firm estimates 2015 will see 2.17 million smart glasses shipped, followed by 6.6 million in 2016. If government regulators take a dim view of smart glasses due to privacy issues, shipments of the products may total only 1 million over the next four years, according to IMS Research.

Seek out new and interesting trends to get a fresh perspective, be willing to change even longstanding decisions, and don't be paralyzed by uncertainty. These are three ways business leaders can thrive during times of upheaval, experts say. Three other tips: Shed assets, even workers, if cash is low; "engage your customers"; and "trust your vision."